Archive for the 'Bob Murray' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

Ducks general manager Bob Murray on Friday disputed the account of a woman who claims that the hockey executive assaulted her in the Joe Louis Arena press box as his team was about to eliminated from the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Murray testified before an eight-person jury in U.S. District Court in Detroit that he pushed two chairs out of the way and did not realize one of them hit working stage manager Rachel Paris, according to the Detroit Free Press.

“I was thinking about getting down to the dressing room as fast as I could,” Murray said as the civil trial entered its fourth day. “I was thinking about what I would say [to the team and coach]."

The incident occurred after the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Ducks, 4-3, to win Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. Paris is suing Murray and the Ducks, claiming he struck her with a high-backed stool and knocked her to the ground.

Paris testified on Tuesday that the alleged attack left her with a debilitating shoulder injury and other ailments. She told jurors that she lost her contracted job at sporting events along with her house and car as a result of the incident.

Ducks general manager Bob Murray is expected to testify in a civil lawsuit against him filed by a Detroit-area woman who claims the executive assaulted her with a chair during a Stanley Cup playoff game in 2009.

The Detroit Free Press reported that Paris "saw chair legs coming at me" when recalling the incident with Murray in her testimony in front of an eight-person jury and that "he had picked up the chair, maybe a foot and a half off the ground, and did a jabbing movement."

"I yelled at him to stop," Paris later testified. "He turned around and glared at me and continued up the aisle."

Paris was working as a contracted broadcast producer on the television broadcast of the Ducks' Game 7 loss to the Red Wings in the Western Conference semifinals. The incident occurred momentarily after Dan Cleary scored a late tiebreaking goal in the third period that would give Detroit the series win.

The Ducks were nothing if not active on the first day of free agency Sunday, focusing on the blue line with the acquistions of veterans Sheldon Souray and Bryan Allen.

Ducks GM Bob Murray also inked enforcer Brad Staubitz to replace the departed George Parros and added depth defenseman Jordan Hendry to the organization. But Murray isn't done by any means, most notably the Teemu Selanne and Bobby Ryan situations that still to be resolved.

"We're still making phone calls," Murray said. "I don't know if anything more is going to happen right now, free agency-wise. We're still looking. We've added some younger players the last few years. Now it's time to move forward a little bit."

The Ducks still need help up front -- most notably at the center position -- but Murray said he could see those holes being filled from within.

"When you look at our depth charts and things, we feel our younger forwards are more ready," he said. "It's also easier to jump into the National Hockey League as a forward than as a defenseman. In saying that, we still have Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm, who we just drafted, who are probably going to vie for a spot on our team next year."

Ducks GM Bob Murray said he has moved on from the Justin Schultz debacle but he had some final things to get off his chest about the inability to sign their 2008 second-round draft pick and prized prospect.

Schultz signed with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday after a courtship with a number of teams. The University of Wisconsin star, who'll play immediately with the Oilers and is projected to be a top-four, indicated that he's always wanted to play in his native Canada.

Those comments bothered Murray, who is rankled that Schultz never called him to inform that he was going to change his mind about signing with the Ducks and exploit the loophole in the collective bargaining agreement that allowed him to be a unrestricted free agent.

"I'm more confused than ever," Murray said. "I read everything of course. I've moved on. I'm confused because, if he had it in his mind that he wanted to play in Canada, then OK. I get that. I'm a Canadian too.

"But Eric Lindros when he didn't want to play in Quebec, he went to his team that drafted him and said ‘No, I'm not going to play there.' He allowed that team to make a move to get something for him. He told us numerous times he wanted to play with us. He needed to just tell us the truth."

Ducks general manager Bob Murray has players in mind that he'll target Sunday when the doors to free agency offically opens. He's just not going to tell you.

But Murray was clear about his intentions regarding the future of top linemates Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, both of whom can become unrestricted free agents for the first time when their current deals expire next summer.

The earliest Murray can sign either or both to is Sunday but that won't happen. However, Murray said extending both is a priority.

"I think it's imperative for the hockey team," he said. "We've reached out to the agents and that will be an ongoing process. I don't think it's going to happen overnight. But we've reached out to both sides.

"It's something that will be ongoing and we'll work at it. I don't think it's something that you need to read in the paper every day. We're going to work at it and when we get it done, we'll tell you."

The Ducks have the No. 6 selection in this weekend's NHL draft, their best position since getting the second overall choice in 2005 after the lockout and taking Bobby Ryan.

The wrinkle with that is this might be the wrong year to have that high of a pick. Many have speculated that Edmonton has been willing to entertain trading down from No. 1 overall in a draft that appears to be low on true impact players and bereft of those that could change a franchise's fortunes.

Ducks GM Bob Murray told the Register on Monday that he's comfortable with picking at six if it comes to that when the 30 teams and their respecting scouting staffs congregate at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center on Friday night.

"First of all, six is a good spot," Murray said. "If we pick at six, we're going to get a good player. This draft, I don't view as one where guys at the very top are that much better than the guys that are at 12 or 13. It's one of those drafts where it's kind of an even rating through the first 15 guys."

Russian winger Nail Yakupov of the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting continues to be the player that most prognosticators believe has the highest ceiling among forwards and remains in line to be the first player selected. But some have speculated that Yakupov may not go first and there doesn't appear to be any consensus on who'll fill out the top 10.

Generally, we don't get too excited about prospects until everyone is certain there's something to get excited about. Having covered the Angels as a beat, we heard all about their brilliant, can't-miss prospects who somehow did miss. Wonder what George Arias is doing these days.

With this young defenseman, however, we have the sense that losing him to free agency would be a major blow to the Ducks' future and by future, we mean, immediately.

Do the research yourself. Finding a negative word about Schultz's play is difficult. Most reports have him NHL-ready right now, and we all know the Ducks could use a blue-liner capable of jumping into the play on the offensive end.

Who would have ever thought that college star Justin Schultz might be one of the prizes when NHL free agency opens on July 1?

It is what happens when there's the converging of a bonafide top-four defenseman who's coming up on four years without signing with the club that drafted him, has the potential option of making a deal with any other team and a free agent crop that's pretty thin after Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

We know the story by now with Schultz and the Ducks, the team that took him in the second round of the 2008 draft. The Ducks wanted to put the Wisconsin standout on their blue line the day after his junior season ended with the Badgers. Schultz wanted to hold off on his decision to turn pro, choosing to finish out the school year -- and perhaps look at other teams.

The club hopes that the question to lead this post is never moves beyond the hypothetical even though there are many who believe it will become real. Given that Schultz is still in college, Ducks GM Bob Murray isn't saying too much about the situation.

But Murray has been in contact with Schultz's advisor, Wade Arnott, and hopes to get some kind of answer from Schultz soon. Spring semester finals at Wisconsin are this week.

The young forward has been and will continue to be a popular target of other general managers. Bob Murray should listen to all offers but, unless something absurdly one-sided comes his way, say no thanks and hold onto Ryan.

CALGARY, Alberta – Bruce Boudreau couldn't work the kind of miracle that he pulled off in his first year as an NHL head coach.

Boudreau didn't guide the Ducks to a division title like he did in 2005-06 with the Washington Capitals. It took a full month just to turn his new team's mental state around before it could start winning with any regularity.

But the personable 57-year-old coach earned solid marks from his boss after recording a 27-23-8 record.

“He's done very well,” Ducks GM Bob Murray said. “Bruce has done a good job. Obviously we've had a big second half. We got right back in the game.